Speakers

The Mill Valley Middle School Chamber Orchestra conducted by Orchestra Director Steve Gardner will be performing at our Holiday Party. They are an award winning string ensemble who play a diverse repertoire of pieces. The students are mostly home grown talent, coming up through their amazing 4th through 8th grade program, which is funded by KIDDO! They are thankful for every chance to perform in our community.

This talk will examine the nuclear security landscape facing the new U.S. presidential administration, emphasizing key risks posed by Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. We will explore how Russia’s aggressive nuclear posture and renewed deployment of strategic assets impact global stability, with particular attention to its implications for Europe and NATO. Shifts in China’s nuclear strategy, including rapid arsenal expansion and advancements in missile technology, add another layer of complexity, potentially destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region. North Korea’s persistent nuclear advancements and tests underscore its ambition to become a credible nuclear power, raising challenges for denuclearization diplomacy. Lastly, Iran’s nuclear program and uranium enrichment efforts, alongside regional tensions, present immediate proliferation concerns. The talk will address these evolving threats and consider strategies for the U.S. to engage diplomatically, mitigate escalation, and reinforce global nuclear norms in the face of a shifting security environment.

From Jeeps that flew to tanks that shouldn't; from a wave-powered boat that took forever to reach its destination to a jet-powered train that nearly shook itself apart, an entertaining look at WETech inventions which showcase an inventor's talent for building something nobody asked for. This talk will be lavishly illustrated with rare photographs and brief film clips demonstrating that failure is not just entertaining, but has something important to teach us.

Leta is the author of "THE KNEELING MAN: MY FATHER'S LIFE AS A BLACK SPY WHO WITNESSED THE ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR." She will share the intimate and powerful story of a Black undercover police officer who famously knelt by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his dying moments—and the implications of this tragic event for a daughter and a nation.